Cooling duct for cabinets



Feb. 4, 1964 R. T. LYMAN 3,120,166

CGOLING DUCT FOR CABINETS Filed Nov. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Shea?. 1

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Feb. 4, 1964 R. T. I YMAN cooLING DUCT FOR CABINETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1961 United States Patent Odtice 3,120,166 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 3,129,166 CGLING DUCI1 FOR CABINETS Roger T. Lyman, Princeton, NJ., assigner to Kooltronic Fan Company, Princeton, NJ., a corporation of New `Iersey Filed Nov. 16, 1%1, Ser. No. 152,750 3 Claims. (Cl. 98-39) My invention relates to a novel duct construction for cabinets, and more specically relates to a novel cooling duct arrangement for use with chassis for electronic equipment.

Enclosures for electronic equipment are commonly formed of tall steel housings which receive banks of electronic chassis each of which can be removed and replaced from the housing independently of other chassis,

Yand are arranged vertically and on top of one another.

In such standard arrangements, a cooling duct is comrnonly arranged to extend up one wall of the housing with appropriately located openings for cooling air to corne out of the duct and blow across various associated racks of equipment.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a novel duct which is formed of duct outlet sections which may be adjustably positioned at any desired point along the length of the duct, and blank sections which are each removable without tools. Moreover, I have provided a novel manner wherein the duct may be mounted on the cabinet door which may be opened at any time with no mechanical connection being necessary between the duct and blower. Thus, when the door is closed, the lower end of the upwardly extending duct cornes into registry with the outlet duct of the blower.

Moreover, the outlet duct sections which are adjustably positioned along the length of the duct include novel simple adjusting means whereby the air flow nom the duct which is to come out orF the particular outlet can be simply adjusted by means of a plate which extends more or less into the main duct to thereby divert more or less air into the duct outlet.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel cooling system for cabinets.

Another object ot' this invention is to provide a novel air duct for electronic cabinets wherein outlet openings may be adjustably provided at any chassis location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel inexpensive cooling duct for electronic cabinets.

A further obiect of this invention is to provide a novel air duct for electronic cabinets which can be mounted on the door of the cabinet and moves into registry with a corresponding output duct from the blower.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel outlet arrangement for cooling ducts wherein the quantity of air to be derived Jfrom the outlet can be easily and simply adjusted.

Another obiect of this invention is to provide a novel duct for cooling electronic cabinets wherein the position of outlets along the duct can be easily adjusted.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective rear view of a cabinet which is to receive raclis of electronic equipment arranged vertically above one another.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the cabinet of FIGURE l with one chassis in position and the rear door closed.

FIGURE 3 is a front View of the duct system and blower of the cabinet of FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective View of a portion of the duct of FIGURES 1 through 4 with a portion of an outlet unit or a blank cover which is to be fastened to the duct.

FIGURE 6 is a top view of FIGURE 5 after the blank cover is secured without requiring tools to the duct body.

FIGURE 7 is a side view partially broken away of an outlet unit which can be secured to the duct of FIGURES 1 through 6.

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the outlet unit of FIG- URE 7.

FIGURE Sa is a top view of the unit of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 9 is a similar to FIGURE 7 and illustrates the manner in which the outlet unit of FIGURE 7 may be adjusted for maximum air flow through the outlet unit.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, I have illustrated therein a cabinet I@ which, as seen in FIGURE l, has a rear door Il secured thereto. The cabinet I@ is adapted to receive vertically stacked chassis of electronic equipment. By way of example, in FIGURE 2, I have illustrated a chassis l2 secured to the mounting channels of the cabinet in any desired manner. It is necessary that the chassis of equipment such as chassis l2 have a dow of cooling air thereover to assure proper operation of the units.

To this end, a source of cooling air formed, for eX- ample, of a blower is contained within a blower housing 13 at the bottom of the cabinet Ill (although it could be arranged at the top of the cabinet) and brings air in through the front of the cabinet through a grill I4. The blower within housing I3 is connected to blower outlet duct I5, as best seen in FIGURES l and 4.

The duct outlet I5 cornes into registry with the open lower end of air duct 16 secured to door Il when the door Il is closed. This registering position is shown in FIGURE 4. Air is, therefore, conducted from the blower within housing .1.3 up through the duct I6 to be distributed in an appropriate manner across chassis of electronic equipment such as chassis l2. A suitable louver lZa can be formed on chassis I2 to permit dow of air therethrough, or air can flow over the top of chassis l2 to cool the chassis housing and thus the interior thereof.

The duct I6, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, may have a number of duct openings which correspond to the position of banks of equipment. In FIGURES 3 and 4, live outlet positions are illustrated.

The duct ld (FIGURE 5) is formed or" a U-shaped cross-section body I7, which is formed of any appropriate sheet metal, the ends of which are bent outward more than 186 over, as illustrated by portions IS and I9 which run. along the complete length of the duct. Duct length is any multiple ot the national standard for electronic panels, as required.

To form the completed duct, appropriately dimensioned outlet section and blank sections may be manually secured to U-shaped body 17. For example, in FIGURES 5 and 6, II have illustrated a blank section Ztl which is stormed of sheet metal of the type used in body I7, the sides of which are inwardly turned, as illustrated by inwardly 4turned sides 2l and 22. The dimensions of body I7 and blank 2d are such that the inwardly turned ends 2l and 2.2 will engage the outwardly turned ends -18 and I9 of body -17 in a snap-type engagement, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. Thus, the blank 2t? can be snapped into position with relation to body I7, and be rigidly maintained in that position. The outlet units to be described more fully hereinafter are `formed wth the same inwardly turned ends, such as ends 2l and 22 of blank 2li, so that the snap engagement can be achieved for the outlet units as well as the blank plates.

The outlet units and blank sections are formed with ylengths in multiples which conform to the national standard for heights of electronic chassis and blank panels as normally mounted at the front ofthese cabinets. Thereby the entire surface of body 17 is covered either by an outlet unit yor a blank section. Y

yThe, outlet units are best seen in FIGURES 7, 8, 8a and 9 =as being comprised of a sheet metal body 30 which has an opening 31 therein which is, for example, formed by the upwardly bent tongue 312.

The upwardly bent tongue 32 has a slot 33 therein, as seen in FIGURE 8a, which receives a Wing-nut 34 and 35 which secure a U-shaped strap of sheet metal 36. The U-shaped strap of sheet metal 36' can, thereffore, be moved into and out of the duct body when wingnut 34 is loosened so that it extends inwardly into the duct to any desired degree. Thus, the position of U- shaped body 36 will `determine the amount of ilow to be taken through outlet opening 3l and, thus, across the electronic chassis in registry with opening 31 Within the cabinet.

In FIGURE 7, the member 36 protrudes only slightly into the duct so that only a relatively small amount of air is taken from the main path upwardly within the duct. ln FIGURE 9, however, the member S6 is pushed completely into the duct so that the full 4air flow coming from the lower portions of the duct are discharged through duct |opening 31.

As previously mentioned, the novel duct can be formed of blanks and outlet units of a standard dimension to give lthe appropriate spacing of the outlet units. For example, and in FIGURES 3V and 4, the duct is formed of tive outlets 60, 61, `62., 63 and 64. Each of outlets 60 through 64 are yformed in the exact same man-ner as illustrated for the outlets of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, and are merely snapped into position over the duct base, such as base 17 of FIGURE 5.

The remaining sections of the duct are then lilled in by blanks 65, 66, 67 and 6?. which are of standard dimensions to ll the spaces between the various outlets. These blanks are, of course, `formed in the manner shown for blank 20 of 'FIGURES 5 Iand 6, and are merely snapped into position. It is to be noted that the entire duct can be assembled Without the requirement for tools, and that Jthe arrangement of the outlet ducts can be easily rnodied to meet the requirements of the cabinet and the chassis positions within the cabinet. Rearrangement of chassis in the field is easily matched by realignment of routlets and blank covers.

Althoughl have described preferred embodiments of my novel invent-ion, many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and I prefer therefore to be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. A cooling duct :for electronic cabinets; said cooling duct comprising an elongated rear section having -a U- shaped cross-section; the open side of said U-shaped cross-section receiving outlet duct sections and blank sections having onmations thereon vfor connection in snap-type relation whereby the position of said outlet duct section is adjustably located along the length of said duct; said outlet duct section having a duct opening in the front surface thereof and an adjusting plate extending substantially perpendicularly to thedirection of air ow through said duct; adjustable connection means for adjustably securing said `adjusting plate to said outlet section; said adjusting plate extending along the edge of said duct opening which is downstream of the ow of airV through said duct; said adjusting plate being movable along a straight line into and ont of sai-d duct to adjust the ow of air vfrom said duct opening; said outlet lduct section having an upwardly bent tongue extending therefrom to form lsaid duct opening; said adjustable connection means connecting said adjusting plate to said tongue. V

2. An adjustable duct outlet; said adjustable duct outlet comprising an outlet duct section having a duct opening in the lfront surface thereof and an adjusting plate; said adjusting plate `being secured in an yadjustable position to said outlet section and extending along the edge of said `duct opening which is downstream of the flow of. air through said duct; said adjusting plate being adjustably positioned along a straight line into and out of said duet to adjust the flow of air yfrom said duct opening; a bolt means; said adjusting plate being lockable in an adjusted position by said bolt means extending from said plate to said outlet duct section; said outlet duct section having a tongue extending therefrom parallel to said plate; said bolt means engaging said outlet duct section along said tongue; said tongue being upwardly bent to lform said duct opening.

3. A cooling system :for an electronic cabinet; said electronic cabinet comprising Wall portions, a removable door portion extending between said wall portions, and a plurality of support means in said cabinet vertically spaced apart for supporting a plurality of electrical chassis devices; said cooling system including circulating means secured to the bottom of said electronic cabinet and a duct means secured to the interior of said removable door portion of said cabinet and terminating short of the bottom of said removable door portion; said circulating means having an upwardly curved outlet yduct section termin-ating in -a pla-ne which includes the bottom of said.

duct means on said removable door -portion of ysaid cabinet; said bottom of said duct means having a cross section similar to the cross section of the end of said outlet duct section; the bottom lof said duct means registering with the top of said outlet duct section when said removable door portion of said cabinet is closed; said duct means having a plurality of outlets spaced along the f length thereof in registry with respective electrical chassis devices of said plurality of electrical chassis devices.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A COOLING DUCT FOR ELECTRONIC CABINETS; SAID COOLING DUCT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED REAR SECTION HAVING A USHAPED CROSS-SECTION; THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID U-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION RECEIVING OUTLET DUCT SECTIONS AND BLANK SECTIONS HAVING FORMATIONS THEREON FOR CONNECTION IN SNAP-TYPE RELATION WHEREBY THE POSITION OF SAID OUTLET DUCT SECTION IS ADJUSTABLY LOCATED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID DUCT; SAID OUTLET DUCT SECTION HAVING A DUCT OPENING IN THE FRONT SURFACE THEREOF AND AN ADJUSTING PLATE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO THE DIRECTION OF AIR FLOW THROUGH SAID DUCT; ADJUSTABLE CONNECTION MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID ADJUSTING PLATE TO SAID OUTLET SECTION; SAID ADJUSTING PLATE EXTENDING ALONG THE EDGE OF SAID DUCT OPENING WHICH IS DOWNSTREAM OF THE FLOW OF 